This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.tompkins/5016.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Tompkins County did not keep marriage records in 1842. The County Clerk's office has some marriage records for a few Towns for 1847-1849. There is a card file of marriage notices taken from newspapers in the Dewitt Historical Society in Ithaca, but I am not sure they go back to 1842. The Towns began recording marriages ca. 1880, but some of these do not survive or have been stolen; otherwise, located in the office of each Town Clerk, including the Towns now in Schuyler County. You can visit the vital-records link from the USGenWeb site for Tompkins County, accessible via the Rootsweb Home Page link for USGenWeb. That may give you some inspiration for another avenue for your research. Good hunting, Jade